Shelley College: Maths

Head of Department: Mr J Nash

Mathematics is an essential skill for life, whatever job you may find yourself in one day, will no doubt use maths in some way. The maths department at Shelley College strive to equip students with these skills. All members of the department are able to teach to A-Level, with three of those having expertise to teach Further Maths level.

Key Stages 3 and 4 Mathematics
Mathematics at Shelley picks up where it left off in year 8. At present the four key areas of Maths: Shape, Number, Data Handling and Algebra are extended for every student, and a range of functional mathematics tasks are incorporated into the schemes of work. Functional Maths refers to applying the maths of the school classroom to the real world and enables students to use maths in useful and practical situation.

It is a very exciting time for Maths at present as a new GCSE is about to start as of September 2010. This will have a great deal of functional maths underpinning the entire course. The Maths team are currently deliberating which of the key exam boards to use for this course. Watch this space for updates as we make our key decision.

We have definitely settled on starting the year 9 students early with the GCSE course through a series of pathways, based mainly on their ability, but also their aspirations. 

Pathway A – Students will pursue GCSEs in both Mathematics and Statistics, and will also gain a Free Standing Maths Qualification (FSMQ) in Additional Mathematics (this course sits roughly between GCSE Maths and AS Level Maths)
Pathway B – Students will pursue GCSEs in both Mathematics and Statistics
Pathway C – Student will focus on gaining the highest grade possible in their GCSE Mathematics

A Level Mathematics and Further Mathematics
What will I learn on the A Level course?
Mathematics at AS and A level is a course worth studying in its own right. It is challenging but interesting. It builds on work you will have met at GCSE, but also involves new ideas that some of the greatest minds of the last millennium have produced. It serves as a very useful support for many other qualifications, as well as being a sought after qualification for the workplace and courses in Higher Education.

While studying Mathematics you will be expected to:

Use mathematical skills and knowledge to solve problems.

Solve quite complicated problems by using mathematical arguments and logic.  You will have to understand and demonstrate what is meant by proof in mathematics.

Simplify real life situations so that you can use mathematics to show what is happening and what might happen in different circumstances.

Use the mathematics that you learn to solve problems that are given to you in a real-life context.

Use calculator technology and other resources (such as formula booklets or statistical tables) effectively and appropriately; understand when not to use such technology, and its limitations.

Mathematics at AS and A level is divided into three branches:

Core Mathematics
When studying core mathematics at AS and A level you will be extending your knowledge of such topics as algebra and trigonometry as well as learning some brand new ideas such as calculus. If you enjoyed the challenge of problem solving at GCSE using such techniques then you should find the prospect of this course very appealing.

Although many of the ideas you will meet in the core mathematics are interesting in their own right, they also serve as an important foundation for other branches of mathematics, especially statistics and mechanics.

Statistics
When you study statistics you will learn how to analyse and summarise numerical data in order to arrive at conclusions about it. You will extend the range of probability problems that you started for GCSE by using the new mathematical techniques studied in the pure mathematics aspects of the course.

Many of the ideas you will meet in this course have applications in a wide area of other fields – from assessing what your car insurance is going to cost, to how likely the earth is going to be hit by a comet in the next few years.

Mechanics
When you study mechanics you will learn how to describe mathematically the motion of objects and how they respond to forces acting upon them, from cars in the street to satellites revolving around the planet. You will learn the technique of mathematical modelling; that is, of turning a complicated physical problem into a simpler one that can be analysed and solved using mathematical methods.

Many of the ideas you will meet in the course form an essential introduction to such important modern fields of study such as cybernetics, robotics, biomechanics and sports science, as well as the more traditional ideas of engineering and physics.

What examinations will I have to take to get my qualification?
At Shelley, in order to get an AS (Advanced Subsidiary) you will need to take 3 modules. If you want a full A level you will need to take a further 3 modules.

Some students who are really interested in Mathematics take either Further Mathematics AS or A level. To get these you will need to take either 3 or 6 more units.

A 1 hour 30 min examination paper tests each module and each is worth 75 marks.  These are equally weighted across the entire course.

At Shelley the Maths department will be offering an 'AS' qualification in Mathematics by taking Core 1, Core 2 and Statistics 1. Core 1 and Core 2 as the names suggest have to be studied and the content consists of algebra, trigonometry and calculus. In Statistics 1 you learn how to analyse data and solve probability problems.

Each group will have two Maths teachers and nine lessons per fortnight. 

In both years one module is examined in the January. This is Core 1 for Year 12 and Core 3 for Year 13. The remaining modules will be examined in June at the end of the academic year.

In the second year you will be taught the same structure as Year 12.  Core 3 and Core 4 have to be studied, with the third module being Mechanics 1.

At the end of the two years you will have gained a good qualification in A Level Mathematics by studying the 6 modules.

How can I develop my full range of skills by doing this course?
As well as covering an advanced level study of Mathematics, this course could enable you to develop some Key Skills, which will be essential to you whatever you go on to do after leaving Shelley. Your teacher will be able to give you further advice as you study for this course. A number of iMODs (Independent Modules) are incorporated into the course to assist in this area too. 

What could I go on to do at the end of my course?
AS Mathematics
An AS in Mathematics is very valuable as a supporting subject to many courses at A level and degree level, especially in the sciences, geography, psychology, sociology and medical courses.

A Level Mathematics
A level mathematics is a much sought after qualification for entry to a wide variety of full-time courses in Higher Education. There are also many areas of employment that see mathematics A level as an important qualification and it is often a requirement for the vocational qualifications related to these areas.

Higher Education courses or careers that either require A level Mathematics or are strongly related include:

Economics
Medicine
Architecture
Engineering
Accountancy
Teaching
Psychology
Environmental studies
Computing
Information Technology
Law

If you wanted to continue your study of Mathematics after A levels you could follow a course in Mathematics at degree level or even continue further as a postgraduate and get involved in mathematical research.

Further Mathematics
Further Mathematicians are usually naturally gifted mathematicians who enjoy Maths and find most concepts they have met so far relatively trouble free. They usually wish to go on to University to study a subject that has a high degree of maths content, although this is not always the case. Students who study it will take double the amount of Maths each week – an extra 9 hours per fortnight in both Years 12 and 13. For those students that this appeals to, Further Mathematics will present an exciting challenge.

Six additional modules are needed over the two years of study. With the revised module specification of Further Maths by the end of Year 12 students will have completed Further Pure 1 (FP1), Decision Maths 1 (D1) and Statistics 2 (S2). In Year 13 three more modules are completed: FP2, FP3 and usually M2, although there is some flexibility here based on students interests and/or career aspirations.